The bravest of all us
by LilyFierros
Summary: Some stories about what Merlin means to all the Round Table, because, let's face it, besides that one 'thank you', how many times has anyone thanked Merlin? Also, about each character being inspired by Merlin to do something, starting with Lancelot. Enjoy!
1. Bravery

**Hey, everyone! So, I had posted this a long time ago, and decided to rewrite it, as my writing skills have improved. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Don't own Merlin.**

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**Lancelot [Bravery]**

Lancelot had said it before. He still remembered the day perfectly. He had just been re-knighted by Arthur, and he remembered seeing the mixed look of pride and hurt that Merlin had. It had hurt Lancelot too, to think of his friend so sad, when he normally at least pretended to be so happy. If his cover had slipped that way it meant that something was really _wrong_.

Looking around, he noticed what Merlin saw. There they were, all of them: four knights (three of them recently knighted), the Court Physician, Gwen, who all of them knew was someday going to be Queen anyway (no matter how much it pained Lancelot) and Arthur - and this last one was obvious, he was the Prince. Lancelot could see Merlin's point, 'so where did he stand'?

So he had talked with Merlin, trying to build his confidence. _You should be the one knighted_, he had said, _you are the bravest of us all, and he doesn't even know it._

Merlin had smiled a half-heartened smile, probably more at Lancelot's friendship and words of encouragement than from really believing those words; Lancelot had been able to notice it on the cloudy blue eyes. The nearly knighted man had felt humbled just looking into them. Here he was, the most powerful man in earth, the most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth – that would ever walk the earth – and he spent his time serving everyone else, giving to everyone else.

The next morning, Lancelot volunteered to partner with Merlin, not just because of a precaution. No, he was going to do whatever it took to keep save Merlin, to help him achieve his destiny; because he was a friend, the best Lancelot had and if Lancelot was anything, he was honourable and loyal, and he'd prove it to Merlin that he had other people there for him.

Now, in a mission to help save the people of Camelot, after Merlin took the hit of the Dorocha for Arthur; making Lancelot even more awestruck of his dear friend, even if he had stopped being surprised so long ago; listening to him talking to the dragon - he wondered if it was even possible to keep his promise.

The dragon had called _him_ the bravest and noblest of them all. Lancelot shook himself inwardly. Right. Like it was really true, like if anyone could say that with Merlin standing beside him.

"We're on our way to the Isle of the Blessed to help Arthur heal it," said Lancelot after a couple of very, in his opinion, awkward words.

"Indeed. But at what price?" said the dragon with his raspy voice.

"I know that the spirit world demands a sacrifice," Merlin admitted.

"It demands nothing," the dragon grunted. "It is the Cailleach, the gatekeeper to the spirit world who asks such a price."

"And there is no other way?" asked Merlin hopefully.

"There is not."

Lancelot watched Merlin's face acquire a hard look of determination and acceptance, like a warrior's before a battle he knew he couldn't win.

"Arthur intends to sacrifice himself to heal the veil. It is my destiny to protect him; you taught me that."

Lancelot gulped silently. So this is where everything leads on, didn't it? Obviously Merlin would save Arthur, it was his destiny, his mission and it may even be his doom. He remembered Gwen's words, Gwen's demand. _Bring him home_, she had said. Lancelot exhaled. It seemed like Merlin and he had the same mission for now, didn't they?

"Merlin, you must not do this," the dragon pleaded, and Lancelot waited with baited breath.

"Then I have no choice," said Merlin serenely. "I must take his place."

"From the moment I met you, I saw something that was invisible. Now it is there for all to see."

"A lot of what you see, old friend, is what you taught me."

"It will be an empty world without you, young warlock."

Lancelot waited, not wanting to interrupt in such a personal talk; his decision now almost completely made. He had to talk to Merlin, because he knew that even if Merlin didn't know about Lancelot's plans, he would unconsciously inspire the knight to follow through with it. Maybe he could borrow some of that bravery the man had, before he gave up on it and let his fear win.

"When we get to the Isle of the Blessed," Lancelot started, hesitantly. "Do you really intend to sacrifice yourself?"

Merlin sighed. "What do you want me to say?"

"I look at you and I wonder about myself," Lancelot admitted. He was worried, too, that Merlin could make such decisions without blinking, and the warlock seemed so sure of himself, so sure of destiny, so sure of Arthur. "Would I knowingly give up my life for something?"

Merlin looked at him. A mixture of determination and wisdom was on his face; but Lancelot could see the pain in his gaze too.

"You have to have a reason. Something you care about," Merlin explained fiercely. "Something that's more important than anything."

Lancelot had been right. He frowned for a moment, allowing the thoughts to catch. Arthur wanted to sacrifice himself to save everybody. Gwen had asked him to protect Arthur. Merlin wanted to take Arthur's place. There was no way he'd let anything happen to Merlin – he had promised himself that long ago – and there was no way he'd dishonour Guinevere's petition.

He'd be the only one sacrificing himself, because he had a reason and it was many things: love, loyalty, friendship and hope. But most of all, he would do it for the boy who once helped him become a knight, for the man that Arthur was going to be someday and for the world they'd create together. Gwen's words stuck on his head, only giving him more confidence as he walked towards the blinding, messy, raw light; he only turned back once, Merlin's face pale and frozen in horror, a look of terrible dawning realisation. The knight smiled sadly, and then, he was gone.


	2. Loyalty

**Here's the next chapter, enjoy!**

**Don't own Merlin.**

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**Arthur [Loyalty]**

In truth, Arthur didn't know what was it about Merlin that made him feel like he owed the boy something. One thing was certain; it had nothing to do with Merlin saving his life, not at all.

It had nothing to do with the fact that Merlin had just drank from a supposedly poisoned chalice, nor with the knowledge of what his idiotic manservant was facing, and even less with the fleeting thought that it had been intended for _him_.

But then again, when Merlin started choking, when he started making those terrible, terrible noises, Arthur couldn't help but turn back in horror. He watched as his servant tumbled to the ground, and the prince felt himself step forward with the sole intention of trying to catch him, but he wasn't quick enough. Arthur blinked in astonishment as the idiot arrived to the ground; his ragged breaths and sick parlor making him wince internally. There were things that weren't supposed to happen, things that he wish happened differently; like his first meeting with Merlin, like his failure at stopping the idiot from drinking from _his_ cup. Because the poison was supposed to be for _him_, for _Arthur_, not for the idiot in the cot who was now whimpering in pain while Gaius searched for a cure.

When Gaius explained the risks of the mission, he could not help but look at Merlin. Was Arthur really going to risk it all for the silly, useless, idiot manservant that Merlin was? No, not at all. Not a chance that he was going to risk his life for that.

But, Arthur thought, what about the man that had treated him, not as a prince, but as an equal? What about the man that had confided in Arthur about the dangers he was in when the prince had been about to fight Valiant? What about the man that saw him as a true person, that wasn't afraid to do anything, the man that was the most loyal that Arthur had ever met? Would Arthur risk everything to save him?

"Sounds like fun," Arthur said, determined to fix Merlin, to get him right, to turn him into the bubbling idiot he was, the loyal servant that he took for granted.

"Arthur, it's too dangerous," Gaius frowned, but Arthur could see the hope in his eyes - Gaius would not see Merlin die, not if Arthur had anything to do with it.

"If I don't get the antidote," Arthur spoke. "What happens to Merlin?"

"The Mortaeus induces a slow and painful death," Gaius said gravely. "He may hold out for four, maybe five days, but not for much longer. Eventually he will die."

Arthur set his jaw. He could do it. He could be as loyal as the man dying in front of him. He could give anything to save him, right? He would talk to his father about it, certainly he would understand.

Or not.

His father gave him an incredulous expression before he stalked out the door, Arthur following him quickly.

"What's the point of having people to taste for you if you're going to get yourself killed anyway?"

Arthur scowled. "I won't fail, no matter what you think."

"Arthur, you are my only son and heir," reminded Father. "I can't risk losing you for the sake of some serving boy."

"Oh, because his life's worthless?" Arthur frowned. Merlin was not worthless, he thought, and he found himself surprised by it. Since when did he start feeling so fond of the servant?

"No," said his father angrily. "Because it's worth less than yours."

Oh, so it was? Arthur was feeling confused, but determined at the same time. He noticed that he could not let Merlin die, no matter how much of an idiot he was, but he didn't understand the feeling. He knew he respected Merlin now, but why was he feeling this passionate about not letting him die?

Arthur swallowed before speaking again, this time nearly begging. Arthur Pendragon didn't beg. Never. So why was he doing so now?

"Please, Father," said Arthur. "He saved my life. I can't stand by and watch him die."

And he couldn't. He wouldn't watch that man die. But no matter what he said, his father's opinion never changed.

Arthur brooded in his chambers that day. He could not fail Merlin, but how could he disrespect his father's orders? How could he ignore the truth in his father's words? Arthur was supposed to be king, once Uther was gone and he couldn't do that if he was dead.

What had his father said after Arthur admitted he would not see Merlin die? _Then don't look_. Was he, Arthur, the next king stand by and see his friend die? Because Arthur realized now that Merlin was his friend (even if Arthur would never, ever admit it), because a servant is never the way Merlin was. A normal servant wouldn't risk his life for his master's; a normal servant would bow and would not talk back. Merlin wasn't aspiring to be a normal servant. He was aspiring to be Arthur's friend. Arthur's only true friend.

Certainly Arthur could repay all of Merlin's efforts. Certainly Arthur could be as loyal to Merlin as the idiot was to him.

That night, when Arthur sneaked out the castle and went to find the Mortaeus, his conversation with Morgana played on his head.

_"Sometimes you've got to do what you think is right, and damn the consequences."_

_"You think I should go?"_

_"It doesn't matter what I think."_

_"If I don't make it back, who will be the next king of Camelot? There's more than just my life at stake. "_

_"And what kind of king would Camelot want? One that would risk his life to save that of a lowly servant?" Morgana asked him daringly, drawing Arthur's sword. "Or one who does what his father tells him to?"_


	3. Trust

**So. Here's the next one. Don't forget to Review! (I know this reminders are pretty annoying, but please, do!) It's Gwaine's point of view. It's kind of messy, but I really am not good writing Gwaine. I am trying to get better t it, so, if you have some tips to correct this chapter, please, share :D**

**Don't own Merlin.**

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**Gwaine [Trust]**

Gwaine had always been a free spirit; he had never really committed to anything. Deep down he knew the reason of that was that he feared getting hurt just like his family had been, so he never opened up to anyone, never trusted anyone and never settled down, choosing to travel to anywhere, in search for every tavern he could find. His first true conversation (not just chat on the middle of a bar fight), with Merlin had proven it.

He had woken up in a strange little room, with a deep pain on his left leg – not that this kind of situations were really confusing to Gwaine, he was used to being so drunk he woke up in many weird places.

"What am I doing in this bed?" he had asked Merlin anyway, if just to know where he was now.

The man clad in red and blue had frowned. "You were wounded. Arthur wanted to make sure you were treated by his physician."

"Arthur?"

"Prince Arthur. You saved his life." Bloody hell, had thought Gwaine, What had he done?

"If I'd known who he was," had said Gwaine bitterly. "I probably wouldn't have. He's a noble."

"Yeah," Merlin had said, probably not liking Gwaine's tone of voice. "But he's a good man."

Gwaine had snorted. "If you say so."

"You're a hero," Merlin had smiled. "The King wants to thank you in person."

Gwaine had spited some of the liquid he had on his mouth back to the cup.  
"Please, no. I've met a few kings. Once you've met one, you've...you've met them all."

"He'll probably give you a reward."

"I'm not interested. Besides, I've got everything I need right here." Gwaine patted his bag happily.

"Why did you help us?" had said the boy, confused, probably, at Gwaine's attitude.

"Your chances looked between slim and none," had answered Gwaine, as many times before. "I, er...I guess I just kind of like the look of those odds."

He had not helped his case when he had gone and gotten a bill so long, Merlin had to go to save him. Although, Merlin has have to save him many times more since then – just that now, as a knight, Gwaine could pay his own bills.

He remembered a blur of the conversation Merlin and he had when he carried Gwaine to his bed.

"Arthur's not like that," Merlin had defended, trying to convince Gwaine that Arthur was not like the pigs that he knew noblemen were.

"Ha!" Gwaine had laughed, really amused with the thought. "Maybe. But none of them are worth dying for, heh?"

Suddenly, he had found himself feeling so protective of the man, trusting so much the man that he had been surprised. Never had he felt so strongly about someone he had just met, nor even any of the girls he charmed had warmed into his heart so easily. The only way he had escaped so much trouble was revealing little about himself and not once had he talked about his father to anyone.

And yet, there he had been, talking with Merlin about a topic so delicate that Gwaine had purposely negated nearly all his life. There was something about the dark haired man that made the drunk feel like he could trust him.

And then, with Merlin in danger, he could not help but worry tremendously. Had the only shadow of a friend he had ever made, his best (as sad as it sounded) friend gotten into trouble?

"Merlin should have come back by now," Gwaine had said, pacing.

"I know," Gaius had said, worriedly while removing his reading glasses.

There was no way that Gwaine would lose the only person he had confided in, ever. Not a chance in hell he was going to sit down and wait for Merlin, not when he was supposed to have come back hours ago.

"I'm going to go see what's going on," Gwaine had said, anxiously, striding out the door and ignoring Gaius' call.

He had really tried his best to defend Merlin and if that resulted on the blame falling on Gwaine, then so be it.

"Sire," the sorry excuse for a man that had been trying to hurt Merlin said to Uther. "This man attacked me, with a sword, tried to kill me."

"Is this true?" Camelot's King, Uther asked, now glaring at Gwaine, but he nearly snorted.

"I stepped in to protect Merlin," Gwaine said honestly, he would do anything for the boy, even this soon from meeting him.

But no matter, as always, the king was so stuck up his sorry arse. He didn't care a bit about commoners, about the peasants that were the people that really did something for the kingdom, the people that really made him king. Really, because, what was a king without people?

"Nobility is defined by what you do, and not by who you are," Gwaine said fiercely. "And these men are anything but. They are arrogant thugs!"

"Gwaine," Arthur warned, but Gwaine just turned out the political talk going on in front of him.

"Well, you see, Sire, how he behaves."

"I've heard enough. For a commoner to attack a nobleman is in violation of the Knight's Code."

"I couldn't agree with you more, Sire. He must be made an example of."

"Sir Oswald, please," Arthur intervened, and Gwaine snapped back to reality.

"Nothing less than his execution will give me satisfaction," the Prat-For-A-Knight sneered.

"Father, I understand how this must look, it's an embarrassing situation," Arthur spoke loudly, and Gwaine was convinced that he would blame him too. What noble wouldn't? But Arthur spoke again, and Gwaine found himself surprised at the prince. "Sir Oswald is a dear friend and our guest here in Camelot. But Gwaine is my guest here, too. And he may not be of noble birth, but I can vouch that he has a noble heart."

"How can you say that when you see the way he behaves?" Uther asked incredulously, and the sight of it amused Gwaine endlessly.

"Gwaine risked his life to save mine," Arthur remembered his father. "I beg you, please, if a knight's word is his bond, then I give you my word Gwaine is a good man. He deserves clemency."

"You are banished from Camelot," Uther decided. "If you ever return, you will pay for it with your life. You have until dawn to leave the city."

It's not like it was such a big deal, anyway. Gwaine really didn't stay anywhere for a long time, but he would definitely miss Merlin's trustworthiness.

I'm sorry," the man had said while Gwaine packed all his things.

"Don't be. I never stay in one place for very long. People get sick of me too quickly." Gwaine joked.

"I didn't," Merlin said quickly, and Gwaine startled at his statement.

"After the trouble I caused?" Gwaine asked, raising a brow.

"You livened the place up,"

Gwaine chuckled. "Make sure you look after Arthur. He's in danger."

"I thought you hated nobles?"

"Heh, well...maybe that one's worth dying for, eh?"

But even if Arthur _was_ really worth dying for, what Merlin didn't know, it's that choosing between saving Arthur and Merlin, he would choose Merlin in a second; damn the consequences, damn what the kingdom thought of him, because it had been Merlin that had changed him, and Arthur had only given him another chance, just as Gwaine had done him. It was Merlin's debt that he had to pay now, not Arthur's.


	4. Hope

**Next chapter! Yay! Thank you so much for your reviews! I am so thankful for your words of encouragement! Okay, so this is Gaius' snapshot. Just as Gwaine, Gaius' point of view has always been really difficult to me, and I hope (:D) that it will seem alright. As before, if anyone has a suggestion as on how to get it better, please, tell me. **

**Remember to Review!**

**Don't own Merlin.**

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**Gaius [Hope]**

Gaius never thought of just one thing when thinking about Merlin. The dark haired man had been such a nice change to Gaius' life. Before he had met Merlin, he had never known how much he'd lost faith on being full again. He had not noticed how repetitive his days were: Wake up in the morning, have breakfast, finish all the potions he had due that day, deliver each of them, have lunch, research, talk with Geoffrey about his research, eat dinner and sleep; over and over again. It never changed, until Merlin walked through that door, and saved him from a very painful death – and Gaius would know, he had seen those kinds of things from his job as a physician.

"What did you just do?" Gaius had asked the boy after the fall.

He knew he should feel guilty at snapping at the boy, but this was him, Gaius, that he was talking about. He didn't regret scorning people. It was one of the highlights of his job.

"Tell me!" He ordered when the boy said nothing.

"I—I have no idea what happened," the boy shuttered, looking glad he had stopped the fall, but terrified about what was happening.

"If anyone had seen that..."

"Er, no! That - that was - that was nothing to do with me. That - that was..."

Right. Like Gaius really believed that. He had been young too. He had once used magic, too. There was no way he wouldn't recognize the signs.

"I know what it was!" he exclaimed. "I just want to know where you learned how to do it!"

The boy shifted. "Nowhere. "

That was likely. As likely as meeting with Alice again.

"So how is it you know magic?" He had to have learned somewhere, somehow.

"I don't. "

Gaius felt frustrated. "Where did you study? Answer me!"

"I - I've never studied magic or, or been taught."

"Are you lying to me, boy?" Of course he was.

"What do you want me to say?"

"The truth!"

"I was born like this!" Gaius hadn't expected that to be the truth. In all his years of being a sorcerer, and a physician, he had never encountered anyone that had been born with magical powers. It simply didn't happen.

"That's impossible! Who are you?"

"Oh, erm..." the boy stumbled awkwardly and pulled of his backpack, pulling out a folded piece of paper from it. Gaius lifted an eyebrow, his mastered look. "I have this letter."

"I don't have my glasses."

"I'm Merlin," the boy explained, and Gaius felt something light in recognition.

"Hunith's son?"

"Yes!" Merlin exclaimed, happy at the end of the interrogation, probably.

It was a painful statement of how monotone his life was that he answered,

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!"

.

He hadn't known then that his life would change so much, that he would develop such paternal feelings for that clumsy, wise boy that he would be able to give up his life for him. He hadn't known that that time wouldn't be then only one in which Merlin saved him, in so many ways. He knew that he himself had saved Merlin, too.

"If I can't use magic, what have I got?" had said Merlin after Gaius suggested stopping his use of magic. "I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic, I might as well die."

"You don't know why I was born like this, do you?" It broke Gaius' heart to hear the sadness on Merlin's voice.

"No," he answered, honestly wishing he had the answer.

"I'm not a monster, am I?" His old heart nearly stopped at hearing those words, and he mentally cursed Uther for killing so many innocents, for making so many feel ashamed of themselves, for making Merlin feel like he was a monster, when in truth, it was the purest kind of magic that Gaius had ever felt.

"Don't ever think that."

.

Gaius remembered his time as a student of magic. He had often traveled to the druids, learned from their healing magic, their peaceful magic. They had told him many things – prophesies, in particular. It had given him such hope… hope that was destroyed when Ygraine had died, when Uther had killed so many of Gaius' kind, when he had turned a blind eye to his friends deaths, when in truth, it was only his friendship with the king that had saved him.

But with Merlin, it made him wonder again. Each time the boy saved Camelot filled his heart with such joy, pride and hope. The hope for a better, brighter day in which magic users could live in peace, in which he didn't have to send his love away for both of their safety, in which children weren't killed just for their curiosity in learning something so beautiful as magic.

.

And now, with Morgana towering above him, he would not lose that hope, because he knew that Merlin would not stop until he found him, and so, Gaius would say nothing. He would protect his surrogate son, whatever it took.

"Some information you might be a little reluctant to give. I want you to tell me where Emrys is."

"I don't know anyone called Emrys."

"Oh, I think you do."

"Do what you will. I will never tell you anything, Morgana."

Only when the pain was feeling like death, when the fire inside him had reached the fullest, when he could not stop seeing into the Catha's eyes without shuddering, when he felt a block form in his voice signals to his brain, that he heard himself whisper.

"Merlin."


End file.
